How to Encourage Your Reluctant Reader

Some children are struggling with reading as they move from the beginning of elementary school into second and third grades, where the text gets progressively harder. They may have a learning disability that they are working to overcome, they may have physical or medical problems that have impeded their progress, or they may simply have not yet connected with the printed word on the page. These are some ideas that you can try at home to keep your reluctant reader’s love of story alive while he struggles to crack the code and become a fluent reader.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Read aloud, every night. Just because your child has outgrown picture books doesn’t mean you should stop reading to him. This is particularly true of a reluctant reader whose taste in stories is becoming more sophisticated, though she can’t read longer books on her own. No respectable second grader wants to feel like he is reading "baby books"! So, pick big adventures like “Harry Potter,” “The Narnia Chronicles,” or “A Wrinkle in Time,” and read them aloud, a chapter every night. Invent voices for the characters, do sound effects. Your goal is to keep your child’s love of story alive until she can read well on her own.
2. Let your child choose anything she wants to read, within reason. Comic books, though not great literature, won’t hurt her. The “Captain Underpants” books, by Dav Pilkey, are highly appealing to reluctant readers because they have so many pictures and poke good-hearted fun at school in a naughty kind of way. Videogame Guides are nearly indecipherable to most parents, but many a reluctant reader is highly motivated to understand the codes and learn how to advance to the next level in a favorite game. The most important thing is that the child is reading a book that she is motivated to read, because that will lead to success and higher self-esteem.
3. Make up stories together, in the car, in the grocery store, while doing chores, whenever you have time together. As kids invent their own stories they are learning the basics of story structure and narrative--one of the foundations of successful reading.
4. Create a treasure hunt and leave clues in code (such as A=M, B=N, C=O). This is a fun activity that reinforces a key early literacy concept, that seemingly abstract symbols have specific meanings.
5. De-emphasize grades during these early years, and praise goals that are attainable for the child, like developing good work habits and always making a good effort. For a child who is struggling to become a fluent reader, the most important thing is that he does his best, not that he receives an “A.”

Tips & Warnings

• PBS has always programmed strong television programs for early readers, and in particular, reluctant readers. See “Resources,” below, for recommendations on programs.
• Resist the urge to pull out flash cards and drill your child on letter sounds and words. She already knows she is having trouble, she is working very hard at school and is probably feeling frustrated. The key role you can play as a parent or caregiver is to create a sense of fun and play as you explore stories together, so your child will see that there is a big, personal payoff for good readers.